An Indiana Dollar Tree employee has died after being shot by a former employee on Monday afternoon.
According to the Lawrence Police Department, the shooting occurred around 1:30 p.m. at a Dollar Tree located at 10555 Pendleton Pike.
Police said the victim was a female employee of the store and was transported from the scene in critical condition. Police later said around 9 p.m. that the woman, identified as 25-year-old Jasmine Bennett, had died.
Police said multiple employees helped identify Jalen Thomas as the killer. Thomas was arrested at his home shortly after the murder.
According to court records, Thomas confessed to the killing and admitted he was upset with Jasmine after she refused to exchange some merchandise for him a few weeks prior. Thomas purchased a handgun after that incident.
Thomas had also been upset the with victim’s mother, who is a manager at another Dollar Tree store. Thomas had a verbal altercation with the mother after she had promised him work hours, but then rescinded the offer.
“What the dynamics were that led to the shooting remains under investigation, but this was very much a situation between two people who knew each other and not a random act,” said Lawrence Police Chief Gary Woodruff.
Regardless of the motive, Jasmine’s family knows she didn’t do anything to justify her life being taken away at such a young age.
“It’s just unbelievable. She’s the last person I thought this would happen to because she was a genuinely nice person,” said her sister Krystal Caldwell. “It’s still a shock I feel like to all of us.”
The family is planning to have a candlelight vigil outside the store on Friday night.
The suspect is being held without bond pending the filing of formal charges.
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